Layered Marinated Salad

Name: Layered Marinated Salad (Make-Ahead)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 lemon, juiced; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered; 2 stalks celery, chopped; 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed; 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped; 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped (for serving); 1 (9 oz) package cheese tortellini, cooked (for serving)

This layered marinated salad is assembled in a container with zesty Italian vinaigrette and left to marinate for 24 hours, developing deep flavor while requiring zero effort at serving time—just flip and serve.

🌍Italian-American 🏷️Salad 🏷️Marinated salad 🏷️Pasta salad 🏷️Tortellini salad Make-ahead

🏷️

🏷️Party food

-0:00

TikTok

Total

30 min

Servings

6

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$26–$43

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped (for serving)optional
1 (9 oz) package cheese tortellini, cooked (for serving)optional

14 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
In a large, sturdy plastic container (like a deli container), combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and sugar.
2
Add the chopped fresh parsley and diced red onion to the dressing base.
3
Seal the container and shake well to combine the dressing.
4
Begin layering the salad ingredients on top of the dressing. Start with the quartered cherry tomatoes.
5
Add a layer of chopped celery.
6
Add a layer of cubed mozzarella cheese and press it down gently into the dressing.
7
Top with a final layer of chopped artichoke hearts, pressing everything down firmly to ensure it is submerged in the marinade.
8
Seal the container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
9
When ready to serve, open the container and invert it over a large serving bowl, allowing the salad and dressing to release.
10
Toss the ingredients gently to combine.
11
Serve as is, or spoon over a bed of chopped romaine lettuce for a green salad, or toss with cooked cheese tortellini for a pasta salad.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Layer ingredients from heaviest to lightest (tomatoes and celery at bottom, parsley on top) so vinaigrette distributes evenly during marinating.
Use a clear glass container so you can monitor how the vegetables soften and the flavors meld—it also looks impressive when flipped for serving.
Don't skip the full 24-hour marination; the vegetables need this time to absorb the vinaigrette and develop the characteristic tangy-briny flavor.
Flip the entire container once during marination (around 12 hours) to ensure even seasoning, then flip again just before serving for visual appeal.

Substitutions

Red wine vinegar → white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (1:1 ratio, maintains acidity)
Fresh parsley → fresh basil or a mix of Italian herbs (1:1, slightly different but complementary flavor)
Cherry tomatoes → diced regular tomatoes or heirloom varieties (drain excess liquid to avoid a watery salad)
Red onion → white onion or shallots (milder flavor, same dicing technique)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate in the sealed container for up to 3 days. Flavors actually improve on days 2–3. To serve, simply flip the entire container onto a platter or into a serving bowl.